One of the true giants from the Harvest Records prog years – a masterpiece of a trio album, and one that has even more power than most fuller groups of the time! The core lineup features John Gustafson on bass and vocals, Pete Robinson on keyboards, and Mick Underwood on drums – and the trio do a fantastic job of shifting modes from track to track, really keeping things interesting as the subject matter and song length shifts. There's also some nice use of additional strings – arranged by Robinson, handled by Paul Buckmaster – and titles include "Gemini", "Laughin Tackle", "Entropy", "Black Sheep Of The Family", "Good Lord Knows", and "Up On The Ground". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little record from the glory days of the acid folk scene in the UK – a set served up by Clive Palmer, who you might know from work in Incredible String Band and Wizz Jones – sounding even more enigmatic here at the helm of a trio who were produced by the legendary Ralph McTell! The style is light years from the more traditional sounds of some of Ralph's music – very moody and dark, with instrumentation that comes from guitar, recorder, and a variety of other instruments – including the unusual dulcitar, which was invented by trio member John Bidwell! Lead vocals are from Clive and Mick Bennett – alternating on different tracks, and harmonizing with a very eerie vibe, one that's further expanded by the unusual production modes too. A few tracks add in other elements, but just lightly – really keeping the solitary, spooky vibe of the record intact. Titles include "Evening Air", "Serpent's Kiss", "Wade In The Water", "Soft Touches Of Love", "Music Of The Ages", Spirit Of Love", and "Sweet Slavery". CD

Two really unusual albums from British drummer/singer John Dummer – an artist who was part of the British blues scene in the 60s – but who's something very different altogether! First up is John Dummer's Famous Music Band – a set that features key contributions from Nick Pickett on vocals, guitar, harmonica, vibes, and a host of instrumentation – all used in ways that really move past traditional blues-based modes – certainly there at the core, as in the work of the rest of the group – but already moving past any sort of slavish attempt to both be American, and even blues at all. We'd be tempted to call the approach roots rock, but it's also a bit weirder and more offbeat than that – part of that special spirit that's always made Dummer so unique. Titles include "Lady Luck", "Love Ain't Nothing But Sorrow", "Run Around", "Searching For You", "Nine By Nine", "Coming Home", "Green Leaves", and "Fine Looking Woman". Blue is a set that has the band of British drummer John Dummer moving over to Vertigo records – a shift that helps them sound even tighter and cooler than before! Singer Nick Pickett gets equal billing on the cover – and it's Pickett's contributions that really shape the sound – really offbeat vocals, plus guitar, organ, and even a bit of violin – used in that blues inspiration that got Dummer started, but with a weirder, more unusual style overall – at that moment when London was past being slavish to Chicago or Memphis! Titles include "Medicine Weasel", "The End Game", "Me & The Lady", "Time Will Tell", and "If I Can't Keep From Laughing". CD

A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, LA raised singer Dorris Henderson moved to London in 1965 and was soon singing London's folk clubs, where she met Rensbourn. A solid mix of traditionals and then contemporary folk songs – stripped down and honest takes on "Saly Free And Easy", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Going To Memphis", Something Lonesome", "Mist On The Mountain" and more. This edition includes bonus tracks from a rare 45 – "Hangman" and "Leaves That Are Green". Next is the self-titled John Renbourn from 1965 – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Bert & John is a hell of a collaboration between British legends Bert Jansch and John Renbourn – both working here together to completely redefine the sound of their music for the generation to come! This one album may well hold all the sense of subtle power and possibility that was about to flower in the Brit movement often known as "acid folk" – that reworking of older aesthetics with modern conceptions, and doing so mostly with their work on acoustic guitar – quite a feat, given the stripped-down instrumentation of the set! Bert sings a bit – in that incredible style of his – but the real attraction here is the guitar interplay, which is always fresh, never hokey, neither familiar American folk nor forced singer-songwriter backup material. Titles include a wonderful reworking of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – plus "Red's Favourite", "Orlando", "Soho", "Piano Tune", "East Wind", "After The Dance", and "The Time Has Come". Another Monday is maybe the most obscure album in the collection – a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". Watch The Stars is another great collaboration with Dorris Henderson – an American singer, but one who moved to London in the 60s – where she cut this rare gem with guitarist John Renbourn! The album's got a righteous vibe that's hipper than the usual folk set – with some traditional tunes and some contemporary material – recorded with that amazing phrasing that made Renbourn's guitar so distinct right from the start, with lots of those jazzy currents we love so much – and which really fit the creative vocal approach of Henderson! Dorris also plays some autoharp, and there's a bit of bass in the backings – although overall the main focus here is on Renbourn's guitar and Henderson's vocals. Titles include "Come Up Horsey", "God Bless The Child", "Watch The Stars", "30 Days In Jail", "Mosaic Patterns", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "There's Anger In This Land". Sir John A Lot Of is perhaps one of the best-known albums from British guitar legend John Renbourn – as it was issued widely in the US, and kept in print for a surprisingly long time over the years! The approach here is slightly different than Renbourn's previous records – a bit in the image presented by the cover, although with maybe not as slavish a sound – as John just uses the whole thing to go a bit more ancient than before, in ways that echo the time travel that the whole British folk scene was taking as the 70s approached. The tunes are done in ways that are really beautiful – still lots of the incredible guitar work that made Renbourn such a standout on the scene – plus flute from jazzman Ray Warleigh, who's very different here than usual – and spare use of finger cymbals, African drums, and glockenspiel by Terry Cox. Titles include "Morgana", "Transfusion", "The Trees They Do Grow High", "Sweet Potato", "Seven Up", and "White Fishes". 6CD box features all records in original artwork sleeves, with a booklet of notes – and bonus tracks that include "Message To Pretty", "The Waggoner's Lad", "Lucky Thirteen", "Blues Run The Game", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity (alt)", "Can't Keep From Crying", "Transfusion (alt)", and "The Leaves Are Green". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

The shadow of Hank Williams still looms large in country music well into the 21st Century – but it had an especially strong force in the years after his too-early death – as you'll hear here in a great selection of covers, tributes, and other songs that continue the short-but-strong legacy of revolution that Hank brought to country music! Some of the cuts here are pop numbers, and show the way that Williams' original tunes found many different audiences in the 50s – yet most are pure country, and are way more than straight remakes of originals by the legend. As always with Bear Family, the package is great – filled with images and detailed notes on all the tracks and artists – served up on 33 tracks that include "Kaw-Liga" by Rusty & Doug Kershaw, "Calling You" by Hank Williams Jr, "I'm A Long Gone Daddy" by Bobby Helms, "Move It On Over" by Richard Hayes, "I Saw The Light" by Rose Maddox, "Honky Tonkin" by Audrey Williams, "I Just Don't Like This Kind Of Livin" by Johnny Horton, "Mind Your Own Business" by Ted Daigle, "Lost Highway" by Skeets McDonald, "Cold Cold Heart" by Louis Armstrong, "Lovesick Blues" by Rex Griffin, "Baby We're Really In Love" by Don Gibson, and "Half As Much" by Tennessee Ernie Ford. (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

Includes the songs "Space Oddity", "Changes", "Oh, You Pretty Things", "Life On Mars?", "Ziggy Stardust", "Starman", "John, I'm Only Dancing", "Suffragette City", "The Jean Genie", "Sorrow", "Drive In Saturday", "Diamond Dogs", "Rebel Rebel", "Young Americans", "Fame", "Golden Years", "TVC 15", "Be My Wife", "Sound & Vision", "Beauty & The Beast", "Heroes", "Boys Keep Swinging", "DJ", "Look Back In Anger", "Ashes To Ashes", "Fashion", "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)", "Under Pressure", "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)", "Let's Dance", "China Girl", "Modern Love", "Blue Jean", "Loving The Alien", "Dancing In The Street", "Absolute Beginners", "Day-In Day-Out", "Never Let Me Down", "Jump They Say", "Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy", CD

Mindblowing lost work from Jimi Hendrix – studio tracks from the late 60s that were never issued at the time, brought together to make a completely sublime full length set! The package is way hipper and stronger than you might imagine – not studio snippets or replayed outtakes – but instead some strong full longs, and rare studio recordings of material that Jimi had mostly given the world in a live setting – all recorded between 1968 and 1970, and almost all issued here for the first time ever! The core group on most tracks is the trio with Buddy Miles on drums and Billy Cox on bass – but the tracks also feature some surprising guests – including a bit of organ and vocals from Stephen Stills, tenor from Lonnie Youngblood, and guitar from Johnny Winter. One tracks features Jimi just duetting with Miles on drums – and there's another that even features Hendrix on vibes. Titles include "Sweet Angel", "$20 Fine", "Power Of Soul", "Jungle", "Cherokee Mist", "Send My Love To Linda", "Woodstock", "Mannish Boy", "Lover Man", "Hear My Train A Comin", "Georgia Blues", "Stepping Stone", and "Things I Used To Do". CD

A fantastic CD collection – one that brings together all five volumes of Stereolab's Switched On albums in one set – a huge collection of unusual material and rare singles! On the original Switched On record, moog, fuzz, and farfisa have never sounded so great together – and although these guys drank deep of the well of 60s pop magic before making this modern-day classic – they also come off sounding pretty darn original on their own! When this gem of a record first hit the world, it was as if all of us were hearing music from the cosmos for years, but could never find a way to make it part of our everyday lives. Then along come Tim Gane, Laetitia Sadier, and crew – and completely change the world for the better! An album that no home should be without – with titles that include "Contact", "Super-Electric", "Doubt", "Brittle", "Au Grand Jour", "The Way Will Be Opening", and "Changer". Refried Ectoplasm is the second in the holy trinity of "switched on" albums from Stereolab – a set that collects together all the unusual recordings and other side bits the group were doing in the early years of their career – standing strong as a testament to their non-stop efforts to forever push the boundaries of electric fuzzy pop! The vocals Laetitia Sadier are completely sublime – almost a bridge between the darker modes of the previous pop generation and all the new ideas of the world to come – when the rest of rock music would finally catch up to these guys, and realize that the best path to the future is through the past! Titles include "Farfisa", "John Cage Bubblegum", "Tempter", "Exploding Head Movie", "French Disko", "Harmonium", "Revox", "Mountain", and "Sadistic". By the time of Aluminum Tunes (Switched On Vol 3) – it had only been a few years since the previous Switched On set, but Stereolab had already created so much musical magic, they needed a double-length record to keep the whole thing intact! The sound here is somehow getting even more dreamy and wonderful – definitely showing their work with the mighty Sean O'Hagan, and also really opening up into all the many musical ideas that Tim Gane was picking up from his never-ending search for unusual records! The 60s swirl through time and space, and make the future sound even better than we could have imagined it – while the Channel is drained, and England and France become one in a genius marriage of pure pop modes. Titles include "The Extension Trip", "How To Play Your Internal Organs Overnight", "Space Moment", "Iron Man", "The Long Hair Of Death", "One Note Samba/Surfboard", "Percolations", "1000 Miles An Hour", "Klang Tone", and a great take on the theme to "Get Carter". Switched On 4 is full of fantastic sounds from Stereolab – an assortment of rare singles and other unusual recordings that were mostly issued on their own Duophonic label, and which are far more obscure than their bigger label albums during the same period! Even though Stereolab gave the world some undeniable classics in the late 90s and early 00s, they were also working endlessly, and seemed to record more than they could ever fit on a full length set – which resulted in all the cool singles, limited releases, and other material included here – not dusty tapes pulled from the archives, but beautiful work that often returns the group to all the space age charms of their first few records! The package is huge – 25 tracks in all, of varying length – and titles include "Barok Plastik", "Calimero", "Fried Monkey Eggs (voc)", "Solar Throw Away", "Variation One", "Monkey Jelly", "Explosante Fixe", "Jump Drive Shut Out", "The Super-It", "L'Exotisme Interieur", "Pandora's Box Of Worms", "Retrograde Mirror Form", "Nomus E Phusis", "I Feel The Air Of Another Planet", "Outer Bongolia", and "Intervals". Includes tracks from Duophonic 45s, Underground Is Coming EP, Moog, First Of The Microbe Hunters, and work from compilations, unreleased tracks, and even a collaboration with Brigitte Fontaine! Switched On 5 is maybe the coolest entry so far in this really wonderful series – a set that's overflowing with rare and unusual work from Stereolab – most of it done at a time when the group were riding high on a major label, but still managed to issued a huge amount of music on their own, and work in a variety of collaborative settings too! One of our favorite is their work with Nurse With Wound, and tracks from that partnership begin this set – which then moves into rare singles, work with artists, compilation contributions, and plenty more – all with the usual Stereolab charm, but often with a nicely different vibe too! Titles include "Simple Headphone Mind", "Symbolic Logic Of Now", "Magne Music", "Forensic Itch", "Spool Of Collusion", "Robot Riot", "Trippin With The Birds", "Cybele's Reverie (live)", "Nth Degrees, "Refractions In The Plastic Pulse (Autechre Feebate mix)", and "Plastic Mile (original version)". CD

Creedence Clearwater Revival may not have actually been born on the bayou – they were long-timers in the San Francisco scene of the 60s – but they do a hell of a job of reinventing swamp rock on this second stunning album! The quartet are a masterpiece of spare, unbridled power – the tremendous guitar and vocals of John Fogerty, strong rhythm guitar support of brother Tom, driving drums of Doug Clifford, and rolling bass of Stu Cook – all forged into a sound that's maybe more perfectly a summation of the blend of blues, funk, rock, and soul than some of the groups of the south were turning out at the time. Tracks include the huge hits "Born On The Bayou" and "Proud Mary" – sitting nicely alongside even more compelling numbers like "Bootleg", "Graveyard Train", "Penthouse Pauper", and "Keep On Chooglin". CD

A totally wonderful batch of cuts from the early years of Liberty Records, and related labels – cuts that really bristle with the kind of energy that was exploding in all sorts of styles on the LA scene at the end of the 50s! Liberty may not have the cred as Sun or Chess Records, but the company was really at the crossroads of music on the west coast, and had both the ears and the studio talent to really turn out some great singles at the time – often the sort of material that was very different than the vocals and mood music on its full length LPs. If you don't know this side of Liberty's legacy, you'll really in for a surprise – and even if you do, you'll still discover some overlooked gems in this 37 track set – presented complete with detailed notes on all the artists too. Titles include "Lies" by Lee Ross, "Buddy" by Jackie Dee, "Willa Mae" by Al Casey, "Little Bit" by Bobby Lonero, "You've Done It Again" by Andy & The Live Wires, "Sweet Baby Doll" by Johnny Burnette, "Ain't That Somethin" by Larry O'Keefe, "She's So Fine' by Andy Caldwell, "Sally Let Your Bangs Hang Down" by Johnny Olenn, "Billy Billy" by Dee Dee Dorety, and "Hey Baby" by Bill Lawrence. CD

With TI and Pharrell. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked early 80s punk from The Flesh Eaters – with some fun nods to trash culture and B-movies in the cover art, song titles and lyrical imagery – but it's also some of most slyly ambitious sounds from the west coast scene of the time! It's clear from the first track they're going for something more instrumentally adventurous than others at the time, with sax and off kilter hand percussion all over it – but Chris D's vision and caterwauling presence as front man keeps it nice and raucous. X's John Doe and DJ Bonebrake are both Flesh Eaters in this peak period, along with sax player Steve Berlin, later to join Los Lobos – and even roots rock hero Dave Alvin – that's a hell of a punk band, right?! Titles include "Digging My Grave", "Satan's Stomp", "So Long", "Cryan De Berger's Back", "Divine Horseman", "See You In The Boneyard" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Underrated later Airplane – issued at the time on their own Grunt label! Bark came out in '71, after the departure of co-founder Marty Balin, but despite that obviously important loss, there are some pretty cool positive changes in approach, even if it wasn't enough to keep the group flying for too much longer! For one, it's got some excellent violin by Papa John Creach on several tunes – and Slick and Kantor's vocals and songwriting are still in solid shape here. Titles include "When The Earth Moves Again", "Feel So Good", "Crazy Miranda", "Wild Turkey", "Law Man", "Think", "War Movie" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

You might know Ace Records as home to a fair bit of jazz, funk, and soul reissues over the years – but right from the start, the label's also had a keen ear for rockabilly – and can boast a decades-long devotion to the music, with releases that have really blown us away! This set digs back over material that Ace has reissued in previous decades – cuts that are both rare original singles, or unissued tracks – from important labels like Starday, Chess, Goldband, and Meteor – all hand-picked by Keb Darge – another British force in turning us on to great music over the years! The vinyl-only collection is full of gems – and titles include "All Dressed Up" by Jimmy Johnson, "Let's Go Bopping Tonight" by Al Ferrier & His Bopping Billies, "Nuthin But A Nuthin" by Jimmy Stewart & His Nighthawks, "Blue Jeans & A Boy's Shirt" by Glen Glenn, "The Woman I Love" by Gene Terry & His Kook Kats, "Jello Sal" by Benny Ingram, "Lonesome Baby Blues" by David Ray, and "Do Me No Wrong" by Pat Cupp & The Flying Saucers. LP, Vinyl record album

The rainy season's plenty pleasant with a collection like this – a batch of 30 rain-themed tunes from the worlds of soul, rock, country, and vocal music of the 50s and 60s – all served up with the top-shelf level of presentation we love from Bear Family! The cuts are great – a really unusual mix of material that will help make the cloudiest day a lot more pleasant – all presented with detailed notes on all the many different artists you'll find within! Titles include "Just Walkin In The Rain" by The Prisonaires, "Face In The Rain" by Chas McDevitt, "Raining" by Jerry Byrne, "So What Let It Rain" by Lefty Frizell, "Sittin Home Prayin For The Rain" by Bobby Lord, "It Rains Rain" by Bill Wimberley & The Country Rhythm Boys, "The Rains Came Down" by Dorsey Burnette, "Ain't Never Seen So Much Rain Before" by Christine Kittrell, "Raindrops Keep A Fallin" by El Pauling & Royal Abbit, "Rhythm Of The Rain" by The Cascades, "It Might As Well Rain Until September" by Carole King, "Walking In The Rain" by Robert & Johnny, and "Rain Rain" by George Jones. CD

A very different album than some of the earlier records that we love from Michael Chapman – but a set that's equally wonderful in its own sort of way! The set is initially exactly what's promised in the title – a record of guitar instruction, but one that's delivered with all the complex and subtle styles that Chapman brought to his own music – at a level that would have really frustrated any beginning guitar player trying to keep up! Think of the set as an all-instrumental outing from Chapman, one that really shows the special touches on his instrument – presented at a level that's a bit like earlier work from other UK giants, like Bert Jansch or John Renbourn. Titles include "Normal Norman", "Loop The Loop", "A Scholarly Man", "Rockport Sunday", "High Wide & Handsome", and "Pipe Dreams". CD

The first-ever release of some incredible funky folk tunes from vocalist Susan Christie – originally recorded as demos in the years before her work at Columbia Records, and arguably even better than those classic singles! Backings here are by John Hill, who inflects Susan's folksy style with a heavier undercurrent – one that's subtly funky at the best moments, and which also pushes fuller strings and more baroque instrumentation into the mix – all in a way that almost sounds like David Axlerod might, had he started making folk records! Titles include the amazing 9 minute "Yesterday, Where's My Mind" – a funky mini-suite that's worth the price of the record alone – plus "Paint A Lady", "Rainy Day", "Ghost Riders In The Sky", "Echo In Your Mind", "When Love Comes", and "For The Love Of A Soldier". (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic first Verve album from Tim Hardin – a record that's almost a genre unto itself, given the very unique approach that Tim brings to his music! The set might be one of the first times that the world of folk was able to reach out and really find a home in so many other styles too – as there's a blend of jazz-inflected instrumentation and vocals that helped lift Hardin and these songs way past the pop folk moment of the mid 60s – so much so, there's arguably an influence here that just keeps going on over the decades! Gary Burton provides some great vibes, John Sebastian blows a bit of harmonica, and Artie Butler creates these gentle arrangements that are perfect – still making you feel like you're meeting Tim Hardin on his own, but with secret subtle support. Nearly every song's a classic – and titles include "Don't Make Promises", "It'll Never Happen Again", "Reason To Believe", "How Can We Hang On To A Dream", and "Misty Roses". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster of a jazz rock set from drummer Keef Hartley – a player who initially came to fame for his funky grooves in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers! Hartley's sound here is a great mix of rootsy rock and some of the jazzier touches that were creeping into the London scene at the time – with plenty of tightly snapping rhythms at the bottom of the tunes, enough to create a nice funky rock undercurrent on most numbers. The set's made even better by some great keyboard work from Mick Weaver – and the best cuts have some really jamming elements that let Weaver open up on organ and electric piano. Titles include "Roundabout", "Overdog", "Imitations From Home", "We Are All The Same", "Enroute", and "Plain Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those records in which Kris Kristofferson takes on the 70s, and comes up with a sound and style that's completely his own – even when working within the mainstream of the time! His label, Monument, could do plenty of hokey stuff – and even arranger Bill Justis wasn't always the hippest of cats – nor producer Fred Foster. Yet working here, they all rise to the occasion under the majesty of the man's music – a soaring batch of original tunes, of that special sort that Kris was always keeping to himself after his early years writing hits for others. Titles include "Why Me", "Give It Time To Be Tender", "It Sure Was Love", "Nobody Wins", "Enough For You", and the title cut "Jesus Was A Capricorn", owed to John Prine! (Folk/Country, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Invocation To Papa Legba" by Debbie Harry, "Sister Ray" by New Order, "Just Say No To Drug Hysteria (excerpt) Dead Souls" by William S Burroughs, "Song For The Trees (or) I Know Sometimes The World Is Wrong" by David Byrne, "Tri-Power" by Live Skull, "Living On The Outside (F^c%ed Up World)" by PMS, "Party Animal" by Karen Finley, "It's A Mistake To Think You're Special" by John Giorno Band, and "Hard" by Henry Rollins Band. (Spoken Word, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of pop talents you'd normally find on TV – Paul Peterson and Shelly Fabares from the Donna Reed Show, plus James Darren, who'd also done some work for the same program as well – brought together here in a classic 60s album that allows each of their stars to shine brightly on their own! Every singer gets a set of their own tracks for the record – Fabares in the same style as her excellent records with producer/arranger Stu Phillips, Peterson at a level that's maybe a bit more throwaway kid pop, and Darren with a surprisingly strong presence that belies his record as the strongest recording star of the three. Titles include "She Can't Find Her Keys", "Keep Your Love Locked", and "Lollipops & Roses" by Paul Peterson; "Johnny Angel", "I'm Grlwoing Up", and "Johnny Loves Me" by Shelly Fabares; and "Her Royal Majesty", "Goodbye Cruel World", and "Conscience" by James Darren. LP, Vinyl record album

Genius early work from Kris Kristofferson – four great albums in a single package, with SACD mastering too! First up is The Silver Tongued Devil & I – a masterful tribute to the genius of Kris Kristofferson, and a record that perfectly illustrates that unique place he held in music at the start of the 70s! The album's Kris' second, and has maybe a more unified vibe than his debut – filled with original material that has that open, honest quality that Kristofferson brought to country music – and which also had a surprisingly strong impact on mainstream rock and singer/songwriter material too! There's both a frankness of feeling and sharpness of wit that make the whole thing wonderful – and the album's overflowing with original gems that include "Jody & The Kid", "Billy Dee", "Loving Her Was Easier", "The Taker", "When I Loved Her", "The Pilgrim Chapter 33" and "Epitaph" – plus a great reading of the Bobby Bare/Billy Joe Shaver tune "Good Christian Soldier". Border Lord is a wonderful album, and one that's full of lesser-known gems from Kris Kristofferson – from a time when he'd started sharing his songs with other singers first, and started to hold back all the good stuff for himself! The album's got help from some country music studio greats, but it's clearly Kristofferson's show, right from the start – overflowing with tunes that get delivery from Kris that nobody else can match – with a special understanding of the choice of words, balance of wit, and depth of feeling that makes him so great on record. Titles include "Burden Of Freedom", "Border Lord", "When She's Wrong", "Kiss The World Goodbye", "Getting By High & Strange", "Somebody Nobody Knows", and "Josie". Jesus Was A Capricorn is one of those records in which Kris Kristofferson takes on the 70s, and comes up with a sound and style that's completely his own – even when working within the mainstream of the time! His label, Monument, could do plenty of hokey stuff – and even arranger Bill Justis wasn't always the hippest of cats – nor producer Fred Foster. Yet working here, they all rise to the occasion under the majesty of the man's music – a soaring batch of original tunes, of that special sort that Kris was always keeping to himself after his early years writing hits for others. Titles include "Why Me", "Give It Time To Be Tender", "It Sure Was Love", "Nobody Wins", "Enough For You", and the title cut "Jesus Was A Capricorn", owed to John Prine! Spooky Lady's Sideshow is a record that has Kris Kristofferson loosening up his mix of styles slightly, almost a nod back to his debut – but all in a way that only seems to bring an even greater range of feeling to his songwriting! Kristofferson maybe looks a bit more casual and laidback on the cover than some previous sets, but he's still got all the sharpness of delivery that makes him so great, and which really matches his magical words – on titles that include "Broken Freedom Song", "Star Spangled Bummer", "Smile At Me Again", "I May Smoke Too Much", "Stairway To The Bottom", and "Rescue Mission". (Folk/Country, Rock) CD

Music from Tobin Mathews, Bobby Keene, Eddie Carr, Steve Rossi, The Frontiers, Neil Sheppard, Vito Picone, The Arvettes, Walter Jackson, Johnny Caswell, and more. CD

A trio of pop talents you'd normally find on TV – Paul Peterson and Shelly Fabares from the Donna Reed Show, plus James Darren, who'd also done some work for the same program as well – brought together here in a classic 60s album that allows each of their stars to shine brightly on their own! Every singer gets a set of their own tracks for the record – Fabares in the same style as her excellent records with producer/arranger Stu Phillips, Peterson at a level that's maybe a bit more throwaway kid pop, and Darren with a surprisingly strong presence that belies his record as the strongest recording star of the three. Titles include "She Can't Find Her Keys", "Keep Your Love Locked", and "Lollipops & Roses" by Paul Peterson; "Johnny Angel", "I'm Grlwoing Up", and "Johnny Loves Me" by Shelly Fabares; and "Her Royal Majesty", "Goodbye Cruel World", and "Conscience" by James Darren. CD

A tremendous run of music from the great Keef Hartley – a British drummer who was maybe not the biggest name on the scene, but who created some wonderfully groovy music on the albums in this set! The records are a brilliant blend of jazz and rock elements, but in ways that are so different from so many other jazz rock records of the time – maybe in part because Hartley could always bring a lot of soul and a bit of funk to his drums, while still also keeping things in more of the rock side of the spectrum overall – yet opening the door to let in some key jazz musicians from session to session – including trumpeters Harry Beckett and Henry Lowther, reedmen Johnny Almond and Jimmy Jewell, and organist Wynder K Frog – just a few of the players who really give these records a special sort of vibe! It's a bit hard to peg the sound of the records in just a few words – in part because they each have their own flavor – but they're all great, not a weak one in the bunch – and the package features the full albums Halfbreed, Battle Of North West Six, Overdug, Time Is Near, Little Big Band, Seventy Second Brave, and Lancashire Hustler. PLUS, there's also 15 bonus tracks added to the set – mostly live, and some live in studio! CD

A wonderfully weird little record – one that brings together an assortment of rare tracks recorded by French underground hero Miquela – a female artist who was dedicated to only working in the Occitan variation of her language! The approach here is almost timeless – hardly the punk that you'd expect from the time, although Miquela clearly has some of the DIY energy of the period – and often more acoustic, in a mix of jazz and folk styles – almost as if you'd find if Saravah Records had recorded this material a few years before – with really dynamic vocal leads from Miquela, and backing from a shifting array of female singers who make up Lei Chapacans over the course of the tracks on the record. There's a breezy brilliance to the whole thing – an understated sophistication that's similar to some of our favorite French work of the 70s – on titles that include "Dizo Rural", "La Pub", "Airplane", "Leberon", "Me Demandes Pas", "Siau Pas Poeta", "Au Jardin", and the tune "Basta" – which is a wonderful reworking of the John Coltrane song "Naima". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge collection of work from one of the most important scenes in the UK during the punk and post-punk years – the city of Manchester, a place where it seemed like great new records were coming out every single week, and really setting the tone for so many changes that were taking place on the scene down in London, too! The package is huge – 76 tracks in all – and while you'll recognize some of the familiar Manchester names here, including a few Factory Records legends – you'll also be surprised at how many different artists, all working in experimental and fresh new styles, were all lending their talents to the scene over the space of the four short years covered in the set. As always with Cherry Red, there's plenty of notes to teach you about the music – served up by artists who include Sister Ray, Accident On The East Lancs, The Out, Gods Gift, Joy Division, The Drones, Jilted John, The Nosebleeds, 48 Chairs, Crispy Ambulance, The Fall, Ludus, Biting Tongues, Hamsters, Blue Orchids, Kevin Hewick, Section 25, Manchester Mekon, If Only, Spurtz, The Still, Vibrant Thight, Magazine, The Hax, Property Ove, Grow Up, Miss Kate, Buzzcocks, Slaughter & The Dogs, V2, Gyro, Salford Jets, Direct Hits, and many others. CD

Numero Records parodies both the Las Vegas Grind series of compilations, and the 50s sci-fi artwork of EC Comics – and turns out a surprisingly great set of tracks in the process! The material here is from the more garagey side of the Numero spectrum – tracks that are heavy on twang and guitars – sometimes instrumental, sometimes with raw early rock vocals – all laid out in a rock-solid collection that maybe beats some of the more long-running compilation series of this nature. In keeping with those, Numero has been completely restrained on including any real information on the tracks – just a groovy little comic insert that follows in the style of the cover – alongside titles that include "Classie's Whip" by Classie Ballou, "The Grasshopper Twist" by The Blazers, "Jump Back" by Eugene Blacknell, "Rock & Roll Guitar" by Johnny Knight, "The Boogie Twist (part 1)" by Cal Valentine, "Slap Stick" by Dino & The Deltones, "Bui Bui" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "Hot Links" by Soul Heirs, and "Aw Shucks" by JJ Jones. CD

The complete legacy of Glad – and the related New Breed group as well! The set begins with the group's classic album Feelin Glad – a sweet bit of 60s sunshine, and a record that's every bit as charming as you might guess from the cover – served up by a group who are well into the best harmonies of the time, but also digging for something deeper too! The vibe isn't really psychedelic, but there's certainly some of those elements at play – as the group get help on some larger arrangements from producer Erik Wangberg, who uses just the right touches from song to song to keep things interesting, and from ever falling into too-familiar territory! The record's filled with groovy little original tunes in a variety of flavors – and titles include "Bedtime Story", "A New Tomorrow", "Sweet Melinda", "Silly Girl", "Johnny Silver's Ride", "No Ma It Can't Be", and a cool remake of "Shape Of Things". CD also features 8 more mono Glad singles, mostly of tracks from the album – plus 8 more earlier tracks by The New Breed – all mono singles by an earlier version of the group, already really able to deliver pure Cali harmonic genius! CD

The fantastic first Verve album from Tim Hardin – a record that's almost a genre unto itself, given the very unique approach that Tim brings to his music! The set might be one of the first times that the world of folk was able to reach out and really find a home in so many other styles too – as there's a blend of jazz-inflected instrumentation and vocals that helped lift Hardin and these songs way past the pop folk moment of the mid 60s – so much so, there's arguably an influence here that just keeps going on over the decades! Gary Burton provides some great vibes, John Sebastian blows a bit of harmonica, and Artie Butler creates these gentle arrangements that are perfect – still making you feel like you're meeting Tim Hardin on his own, but with secret subtle support. Nearly every song's a classic – and titles include "Don't Make Promises", "It'll Never Happen Again", "Reason To Believe", "How Can We Hang On To A Dream", and "Misty Roses". CD features five bonus tracks! CD

The best in years from the enduring, still evolving avant rock treasure Wilco! Over the years, and especially in later ones, Jeff Tweedy and company have become much more adept at blending their poetic, acoustic country rock tendencies with art rock textures – as opposed to trading both in fits and starts. We loved their early post-Uncle Tupelo country rock efforts, loved their at the time stunning efforts to leave "alt country" behind on Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and after all these years, with strong core line-up of Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Mikael Jorgensen, Nels Cline and Pat Sansone holding together, they're really hitting later career peak in the post-millennium teens! Includes "Normal American Kids", "If I Ever Was A Child", "Cry All Day", "Common Sense", "Nope", "Someone To Lose", "Happiness", "Quarters", "Locator", "Shrug And Destroy", "We Aren't The World (Safety Girl)" and "Just Say Goodbye". CD

A set that really expands the legend of Factory Records – the famous label who gave the world New Order, Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, and other important post-punk bands – as the set focuses on the equally legendary Hacienda nightclub, which the label opened in Manchester in 1982! Manchester was already a city with a hell of a music scene – but at the Hacienda, all sorts of sounds and styles mixed together – in a spirit that was similar to some of the energy on the New York scene at the time, particularly at a club like Danceteria – where the quest for the new took clubbers way past standard genre designations! The Fac 51 in the title was Factory's way of giving the club a catalog number that was in keeping with its record releases at the time – and the beautiful package features plenty of information on the club and the scene – along with 65 tracks by artists who include Gang Of Four, Section 25, Defunkt, Heaven 17, Medium Medium, The Birthday Party, Kurtis Blow, Shalamar, Barry Gray, Simple Minds, Rockers Revenge, 23 Skidoo, Royal Family & The Poor, Josef K, John Cooper Clarke, Stockholm Monsters, Swamp Children, Iggy & The Stooges, Sugarhill Gang, Laura Lee, Temptations, Trio, Bow Wow Wow, Valentine Brothers, Soft Cell, The Associates, Loose Joints, Suicide, Pale Fountains, and many others. CD

The fantastic first Verve album from Tim Hardin – a record that's almost a genre unto itself, given the very unique approach that Tim brings to his music! The set might be one of the first times that the world of folk was able to reach out and really find a home in so many other styles too – as there's a blend of jazz-inflected instrumentation and vocals that helped lift Hardin and these songs way past the pop folk moment of the mid 60s – so much so, there's arguably an influence here that just keeps going on over the decades! Gary Burton provides some great vibes, John Sebastian blows a bit of harmonica, and Artie Butler creates these gentle arrangements that are perfect – still making you feel like you're meeting Tim Hardin on his own, but with secret subtle support. Nearly every song's a classic – and titles include "Don't Make Promises", "It'll Never Happen Again", "Reason To Believe", "How Can We Hang On To A Dream", and "Misty Roses". CD

The fantastic and nicely expanded Ace Story Vol 2 – the seminal series of one time vinyl only Ace Records compilations of standout late 50s/early 60s New Orleans R&B, with a bit of rock & roll & blues! Like Vol 1 of the CD revisit/revival, the 12 tracks from the original vinyl compilation are fleshed out with an addition dozen tracks that are just as great! It's steeped heavily is fantastic late 50s Crescent City R&B, jump blues and more – great stuff from Eddie Bo, Little Shelton, Jimmy Clanton, Huey Piano Smith, Earl King, Gene & Al's Spacemen, Big Boy Myles and more! 24 tracks in all: "Blow Wind Blow" by Junior Gordon, "Roberta" by Frankie Ford, "Sea Cruise" by Little Shelton, "Chickee Wah-Wah" by Bobby Marchan, "Curiousity" by Joe & Ann, "Teen Age Rock" by Little Booker, "Little Girl" by Earl King, "New Orleans" by Big Boy Myles, "Looped" by Joe Dyson with Johnny Collins and many more. (Soul, Rock) CD

A rare indie label finally gets its due – Australia's stalwart Clarion imprint, home to some great music at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s – and a tiny little powerhouse who seemed to knock it out of the park with each new release! The scope of sounds here is great, and at some level, the package also provides an overview of Aussie rock during the space of a decade or so – beginning with raw tracks that are a rougher-edged take on UK mod territory, through more ambitious 60s work, and some very cool early 70s tracks that have the scene really finding its own voice – almost all served up on material issued as 7" singles, which keeps the music moving along at a really nice pace. The package features a huge amount of tracks – 86 numbers in all, supported with a huge booklet of notes on each group, plus images of rare records too – with tracks from The Valentines, Johnny Young, Colin Cook, The Clan, The Troupadors, Soul Purpose, Proclamation, The Spektors, Russ Kennedy & The Little Wheels, Chalice, Strawberry Fair, Willpower, The Birds, and others. CD

Numero Records parodies both the Las Vegas Grind series of compilations, and the 50s sci-fi artwork of EC Comics – and turns out a surprisingly great set of tracks in the process! The material here is from the more garagey side of the Numero spectrum – tracks that are heavy on twang and guitars – sometimes instrumental, sometimes with raw early rock vocals – all laid out in a rock-solid collection that maybe beats some of the more long-running compilation series of this nature. In keeping with those, Numero has been completely restrained on including any real information on the tracks – just a groovy little comic insert that follows in the style of the cover – alongside titles that include "Classie's Whip" by Classie Ballou, "The Grasshopper Twist" by The Blazers, "Jump Back" by Eugene Blacknell, "Rock & Roll Guitar" by Johnny Knight, "The Boogie Twist (part 1)" by Cal Valentine, "Slap Stick" by Dino & The Deltones, "Bui Bui" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "Hot Links" by Soul Heirs, and "Aw Shucks" by JJ Jones. CD

British music breaking through – served up here in a set of sounds that really reflect the massive musical year of 1971! As you might guess from the "underground" in the title, the collection's a bit one-sided – as it's not out to document the hits of the time, but instead the work that was bubbling under and having such a huge impact on the world – even if some of these artists never saw the fame they deserved, or were a few years away from bigger success with the tracks on the set! The package is heavy on work from the psych-into-prog years – much of which never falls into the excesses of either – and there's also a few hard rockers, some jazzier bits, and lots more surprises along the way – served up in a set list of 52 tracks by artists who include Keef Hartley, Jade Warrior, Pink Fairies, Procol Harum, Family, Samurai, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Nucleus, Yes, Status Quo, Cressida, BB Blunder, Beggars Opera, Pretty Things, Spring, Hawkwind, Audience, Atomic Rooster, Patto, Caravan, John Martyn, Peter Hammill, and many others. CD